Menu

My English memories: Bury St Edmunds

I’m sure that not many people have heard of Bury St Edmunds, a charming market town in Suffolk, England. It’s not well-known as nearby Newmarket of which you’ve probably heard of if you’re into horses. Somehow I have a feeling that even if you live in Britain you probably haven’t visited Bury St Edmunds. In 2008 I lived & worked for a couple of months in Suffolk. When I needed a bank, a post office or to do some shopping I went to Bury.

I’m a city girl and coming from a much bigger seaside town I found Bury to be small but delightfully old-fashioned with its shops with limited opening hours and medieval-looking houses. Moreover, to me it perfectly represented the English countryside town which I have seen only on TV until then. I have visited London before this work experience but London is quite another world. It didn’t prepare me for the delightful little surprise called Bury St Edmunds. Despite all the good and the bad that I’ve experienced during my brief time in England I still have a fond memory of Bury St Edmunds. The last time I visited Bury was in 2010. I toyed with the idea of visiting it again last year on my 11th trip to London but ….it just didn’t happen.

first time in Bury St Edmunds, Sep 2008

last time in BSE, Dec 2010

I loved walking around the Abbey gardens and taking photos of cute, friendly squirrels. I admired the wobbly old houses around the town. I had an excellent afternoon tea at Harriet’s Tearoom. I had drinks at quaint little pubs and delicious meals at lovely restaurants. In general, I loved the look and the feel of this perfectly English small town. While I was working in England I explored a bit East Anglia and visited places such as Cambridge, Ely, Norwich etc. It’s definitely one of the prettiest regions in England 🙂 (my very biased opinion).

A lot has changed in BSE since my time there. There’s a Christmas fayre now in Bury every year. Furthermore, a wolf trail was launched around the town which has been inspired by similar art trails around England such as the Chester Rhinos. Why a wolf? Because according to a legend a wolf guarded King Edmund’s head after he was slain by the Danes who invaded England in the 9th century. There’s an excellent live music venue now too, the Apex. But I’m sure that some things haven’t changed and that the town still smells of sugar from the local sugar factory.

What can you see in Bury St Edmunds?

The Abbey Gate-the symbol of BSE

Abbey gardens-beautiful gardens with very friendly squirrels

Bury St Edmunds Abbey-ruins of once mighty abbey from 11th century which housed the body of the martyred King Edmund.

Norman tower –in abbey gardens

St Edmundsbury cathedral-the only cathedral in Suffolk

Greene King Brewery-you can visit it!

The Nutshell -the smallest pub in Britain

Moyse’s Hall Museum -it is one of the oldest domestic buildings in East Anglia open to the public

St Mary’s Church– here is the grave of Mary Tudor, the Queen of France and sister of King Henry VIII. She was re-buried here six years after her death.

English cat, Bury St Edmunds, 2008

The Guildhall

Corn Exchange

Theatre Royal-the only remaining Regency Theatre in England

Pillar of Salt at Angel hill – Britain’s first internally illuminated street sign, built in 1935

Harriets Cafe Tearooms– you can have delicious afternoon tea here

The Angel Hotel –a luxurious hotel in a Georgian building. Charles Dickens stayed here while giving readings in the nearby Athenaeum and mentioned it in The Pickwick Papers

A few more photos from Bury St Edmunds

Morris dancers

What’s nearby?

Ickworth House -a neoclassical country house and beautiful parkland. You should definitely visit it!

Ickworth house (Bury St Edmunds)

West Stow Country Park and Anglo-Saxon Village – archaeological site and an open-air museum

Newmarket –a small town famous for horse racing

Have you ever visited Bury St Edmunds? Would you like to? To find out more about BSE click here

Reblogged this on An Oasis by the Thames and commented:
If you’re looking for some little hidden treasure in England that you can visit, perhaps Bury St. Edmunds, just two hours away from London, might be your cup of tea.
Let Tanja take you on a small tour through the little quaint town and decide for yourself.

I didn’t realise there was so much in Bury St Edmunds ! I’ve been a couple of times to see friends and it’s a really quaint place but have never been to the Abbey or cathedral! Thanks for the insight, I should have a proper explore! #citytripping

I actually stayed at the Angel once years ago and totally agree that Bury is lovely – the abbey ruins are wonderful to wander around and think of how much history there is here. I hadn’t realised about Queen Mary’s grave though. Thanks for linking up with #citytripping

I only know bury St Edmunds from studying the area in text books for Geography O level many years ago. I have never actually visited and I must say your pictures look way more interesting than my old text books! #MondayEscapes

Sounds lovely! And you are quite right. I live in Sussex so not a million miles away and while I’ve heard of Bury St Edmonds, I’ve never been. I shall have to put that right. I’d especially like to visit the Nutshell!

This post is exactly what #FarawayFiles can be! Sharing places that are off the radar – that are charming and wonderful, but people don’t know about! Thank you for letting us into the little world of Busy Saint Edmunds. I would to pop into the Nutshell! Cheers from Copenhagen, Erin

Tanja, what comprehensive photos. A virtual tour guide… love it! How cute is that little squirrel and the cheeky cat catching some rays on the tombstone?! A wonderful post, as usual, from you… Annette #FarawayFiles

Instagram

Copyright

All content and photos, unless otherwise stated, is property of the Red Phone Box travels and therefore protected by copyright. Please do not use any of the content or photos without my previous written permission or proper credit.

Archives

Archives

Categories

Categories

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.